Issue - meetings

William Alexander, Chairman of the Independent Remuneration Panel, to present the panel’s recommendations on travelling allowances for councillors on journeys to and from town and parish council meetings.

William Alexander, the Chairman of the Independent Remuneration Panel, presented a report outlining the Panel’s recommendations.  He noted that other councils usually paid for travelling to and from parish and town council meetings.  He believed that it was right to encourage county councillors to attend meetings of parish and town councils within their area.  The cost had been estimated at £7,000, although the reduction in the number of councillors from 63 to 53 was likely to result in an overall reduction in the number of miles claimed and the associated cost.

Members were anxious that councillors only claimed for journeys to parish and town council meetings within their divisions and not from their homes if they lived outside their division.  It was noted, however, that some parishes were split between divisions and this might result in a meeting being held outside a particular member’s division.  In these circumstances, the Head of Democratic Services would be able to show some discretion and approve claims. 

RESOLVED TO RECOMMEND TO COUNCIL that travelling allowances be payable to county councillors on journeys to and from parish and town council meetings within their division with effect from 19 June 2013.  This should apply to full council meetings only and the county councillor should not be a member of that particular parish or town council.